The evolution of anticancer drug discovery from plants

Summary

Compared with human beings, plants are arguably superior synthetic chemists. Plants have evolved to produce an extremely diverse range of chemical compounds, often with steric complexity, as a strategy to survive and protect against challenges in their environments. For example, many plant alkaloid chemicals are associated with toxic effects, considered an evolutionary strategy to deter predators. It is therefore not surprising that many plant chemicals have potent activities that target human diseases, including cancer.